Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
Moses delivers these words as Israel prepares to enter the promised land, restating the foundation of the covenant. This confession introduces the central command to love God wholeheartedly.
What Does Deuteronomy 6:4 Mean?
This single line is the heartbeat of Israel's faith, calling the people to recognize that the LORD alone is their God. Known as the Shema (from the opening Hebrew word "hear"), it became the daily confession of God's people, recited morning and evening. In a world crowded with many gods, this verse summons Israel to undivided loyalty to the one God who delivered them. To "hear" here means more than listening; it means to take in and live by what is said.
The phrase "the LORD our God is one LORD" affirms both that the LORD is the only God Israel is to serve and that He is wholly consistent in His being -- not divided, not changeable, not in competition with rivals. This confession grounds everything that follows in the chapter, especially the command to love Him completely. Because the LORD is one, devotion to Him cannot be split among other loyalties. The verse calls the heart to single-minded trust in the God who has revealed Himself by name.
In the Original Language
The opening imperative "shema" (hear) gives the passage its name and means to listen with the intent to obey. The word "echad" (one) signals unity and singularity -- the LORD alone, undivided in His being and claim upon His people.
Cross References
“And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:”
- Mark 12:29
“And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”
- Zechariah 14:9
“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:”
- Isaiah 45:5
Application
Let this ancient confession order your priorities: because the LORD is one, give Him your undivided loyalty rather than dividing your trust among lesser things.